


An Ocean Away

by hearthandhomeauthor



Category: seaQuest
Genre: season one crew
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-21
Updated: 2016-12-21
Packaged: 2018-09-10 20:25:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8937898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hearthandhomeauthor/pseuds/hearthandhomeauthor
Summary: Lieutenant Kim Vernon arrives at the seaQuest by special assignment of Admiral Noyce to oversee operations and give a report back to him. Yet her long-hidden dreams are soon unearthed, causing her to believe in chasing them again as she gets to know the crew of the seaQuest through a battle against an evil from the past.





	1. Arrival

**Author's Note:**

> This tale should appropriately be considered a crossover with my primary fandom (Walker Texas Ranger) due to several alter ego OCs I am introducing in addition to the eventual ending of the story. Also, this is a fairly new fandom for me. So thank you for bearing with me as I get my sea legs. THANKS!
> 
> WTR CROSSOVER ALTER EGO GUIDE:
> 
> Samantha Gage - WTR Sydney Cooke  
> Ben Fremont - WTR Trent Malloy  
> and of course  
> Kim Vernon - WTR OC Katheryn Beaumont

Lieutenant Kim Vernon steadied herself against the force of the moving transportation device and closed her eyes tightly. With a deep sigh that she hoped would settle her shaken nerves, she opened her eyes again and nodded to her fellow passenger. She gave the gentleman a firm, single nod and tight-lipped smile before glancing around herself and inspecting the container. She was about to mentally make note of the intricacies of the ship when the transporter came to a sudden stop. Instantly she placed a hand against the wall, slightly disoriented by the inertia her body was resisting.

"I haven't eaten lunch," Kim lied to her fellow passenger, hoping the silently curious man would not read the nervousness in her eyes or see the lump she just swallowed before smiling again.

Silently, Kim hoped the man would exit before her. And he did. Then applying what courage she could muster for this first assignment, she stood to her feet and stepped forward and over the exit into the _seaQuest_.

"Thank you for riding MagLev. Please watch your step," the computer-generated feminine voice emanated from the doorway as Kim stepped across its threshold.

"Smart aleck," Kim smirked as she paused to look around herself. Immediately, her nerves and sarcasm were replaced by gentle observance and awe. Before her was a swarm of sophistication and technology. Cleverness and ingenuity crossed back and forth in front of her in the forms of the crew members of this vast ship. It had always been a desire of hers to see one of these vessels in action ever since her father had been the helmsman of a maritime vessel in his younger days. Now that he was older and retired, he would often reminisce about the old days to his daughter, implanting a fascination in her to see it all unfold before her. Now, she just might get her chance.

"Lieutenant Vernon I assume?"

Kim wheeled around to face the voice that spoke to her and smiled, briefly ashamed for her lack of proper civility. She straightened her posture, remembering to salute her superior officer. "Oh, um, yes. Do forgive me, sir. I mean, captain. I was just in awe of your vessel, s—captain."

"That's quite alright," Captain Nathan Bridger nodded firmly and offered the young woman a warm smile to welcome her aboard. "Do follow me."

Coming to the entrance of the bridge a few paces away, the doors whirred open, and another entire layer of awe made her slow her step as she entered. She looked left, right, and straight ahead. She didn't want to miss one thing. Every aspect of the vessel would have to be embedded in her mind before leaving, she insisted silently as the doors shut behind her and the captain.

"Everyone," Captain Bridger announced, drawing most of his available crew's attention to himself as he stood above them. "I would like you all to meet Lieutenant Kim Vernon from the UEO. Lieutenant Vernon has been sent via the mutual interest of both the UEO and Admiral Noyce to oversee us in action and report back her findings. Although…I feel it's a way for the dear Admiral to spy on me at the same time."

"Rest assured, sir," Kim began, finally stepping up beside the captain. "I have no interest in spying. I'm a writer. And writers write not spy."

"They also investigate," Captain Bridger smiled subtly, lifting his finger for emphasis.

"True. Very true, captain. So, where shall I begin?"

"Well, I suppose if you are to get to know the integral goings on of a ship such as the _seaQuest_ , you should begin right here on the bridge. It's the hub of life of this vessel."

"Very well, captain. I look forward to working with you all."

"That's nice. Just see to it that you do not get in any of our ways." Captain Bridger nodded to Kim, indicating for her to follow him to the sensor chief's station. "Sensor Chief Ortiz will keep you informed and in the loop. If you have any questions, he should be able to help." Commander Ford then stepped up next to his superior officer. "And Commander Ford should be within your reach at most times also. Mr. Lucas Wolenczak here will show you to your quarters."

Kim's forehead creased as she peered over the two men for a glimpse of this person named 'Lucas' but saw no one. A light chortle caused her to turn completely around to face a grinning teenager with shining blonde hair and a winner's smile. She returned it with what she was sure looked about as awkward as it had felt.

"Now I must leave you. I have to take a rather important call from my own superiors."

Kim turned back around to face the captain.

"A Captain's duties are never quite fulfilled I'm afraid." Captain Bridger smiled and then proceeded across the bridge alongside Commander Ford.

Commander Ford lit up with a grin and leaned into the captain as they left the bridge. "Does Admiral Noyce's curiosities entice any fears in you, sir?"

"No, not at all," Captain Bridger stated, half sarcastically and half for certain. "Everything will work out as it should."

Kim watched as the captain and commander left the bridge together before she returned her focus to the activities of the bridge, observing the various goings on before settling her gaze on Sensor Chief Ortiz and his steady work. Immediately, she was impressed.

Although she made no physical indication of her presence, Ortiz quickly noticed her standing there and removed his headset. "My apologies, miss. No rest for the weary."

"That's quite alright. I can imagine you hardly get a moment's peace here as the Sensor Chief."

"Very true," Ortiz smiled but quickly stifled the action. "But when you enjoy the work you do, it isn't so bad. And what about you? What brings you here?"

Kim sighed as she recalled her father's unanswered plea. "Dreams. And pleasing Admiral Noyce, with all due respect. I suppose that means I shouldn't make small talk."

"Nonsense," Ortiz insisted. "You've been good company. From what I hear, you will be staying with us?"

Lieutenant Vernon nodded. "For at least three days so that I can undertake a detailed analysis."

"Then I look forward to seeing you around," Ortiz concluded with a nod that laced their brief communication in a sense of finality.

"So do I," Lieutenant Vernon agreed just before the Sensor Chief's indicators began flashing and alerts began to sound all around them.

Ortiz dialed for Commander Ford and pressed a few buttons. Something like an x-ray visual of the _seaQuest_ appeared onscreen that Kim immediately centered her attention on, dividing her intrigue between it and Ortiz's careful actions.

"Commander," Ortiz spoke into his headset. "I'm picking up a distress signal from a nearby vessel." Ortiz returned his focus to the monitor before Commander Ford arrived on the bridge moments later.

"Ortiz?" The Commander alerted the Sensor Chief to his presence.

"Commander, I'm picking up a signal coming from a colony nearby. I believe they are under attack, sir. I'm deploying WSKRS for further evaluation."

The Commander nodded and turned his gaze to the screen as footage from the pair of deployed WSKRS began streaming into the bridge. Suddenly, the screen went black.

"Ortiz? What's the problem?"

Ortiz tried getting the WSKR footage to come back online but failed to do so, lifting one hand in the air in surrender. "The enemy vessel must have taken them out."

Lieutenant Vernon mused before she spoke. "What do you mean by an enemy vessel? How do you know?"

"It's the _USS Delta Major_ , Lieutenant," Ortiz replied while still focused on the blank screen in front of them.

"The _Delta Major_?" Commander Ford repeated, immediately taken back with the words as a layer of shock glazed over his face. "It couldn't be. Are you absolutely certain, Ortiz?"

"Yes, sir," Ortiz nodded firmly. "The pings emitted could only match that vessel, sir. They are rather unique to themselves."

"I'll tell the Captain." Lucas dialed up the captain on his V-PAL, darting away and through the automated entrance of the bridge before Commander Ford or the Lieutenant could stop him.

"I wish he wouldn't have called the captain," the Commander admitted.

"Why is that?" Kim queried, looking to the commander with innocent ignorance gleaming from her eyes.

"I just don't want the captain to do something he regrets."

"Like what?"

"It's a long story. But…I'll tell you this. That ship was never supposed to have been built. It was Commander Stark's brain child back before the _seaQuest_ was built. You see, she wanted to build a ship just like the captain did. But she never was able to. One of the crew helped her begin building a prototype several years before she was relieved of command of the _seaQuest_. We've since discovered this ship to be the closest one in existence to what she started. It has its own ping that is unlike any other ship. You can't mistake it."

"Why is it here, commander?"

"That, Lieutenant Vernon, is a very good question." The commander scanned over the surrounding area, sinking into his own thoughts as memories of the past seemed to take him miles away from the ship.

Lieutenant Vernon wasn't sure what she should do. Something inside of her made her feel as though she needed to do something to help. Yet she had no authority except that which Admiral Noyce had given her. She had to do her job. She had to put aside her inexplicable care for these perfect strangers and record all her findings as they happened. That was what she was sent here to do. And removing her digital display from her backpack, she set to work to do that very thing.


	2. Settling In

Lieutenant Vernon didn't hesitate with one step as she followed a young Mr. Lucas Wolenczek through the corridors of the _seaQuest_ still in awe of the vessel that she had only heard about up by written reports and video calls up until now. One of her closest friends had served aboard the ship until an emergency had brought him ashore never to return to his work.

"So how big is the ship?" Kim spoke as she followed Lucas up the circular stairway onto the next deck up. Lucas' steps were a bit too swift for the young female lieutenant. But somehow she managed, the eagerness and spark of the day helping her to survive.

"A little over a thousand feet. It's one of the largest deep submergence vehicles in existence."

Lucas suddenly turned a corner, surprising Kim as she too stopped and nearly tipped over as the unwarranted inertia was initiated upon her turning the same corner. She was behind now and stepped up the pace to catch up tp the eager teenager. Silently she wondered where the wardroom's gym on board could be. For she was behind in other areas of her daily regimen also.

"There's about eighty-eight military and just over one hundred twenty science personnel on board as a part of the crew."

Lieutenant Vernon grinned, glancing over the young man's rather casual attire. It was nothing at all like his superiors' uniform. And for that she was grateful.

"So are you factored into the eighty-eight or the one hundred twenty, Lucas?"

Lucas suddenly stopped and turned to face the lieutenant with a toothy grin. "I—I guess I'm somewhere in the middle. Now!" He clapped his hands together. "Onward with the tour. Or rather…here we are." He whirled back around and turned left down another hall. "Your room will be the ninth one down, I think."

"I think? I would hope that as a crew member aboard a ship of this caliber that you would have a higher dose of confidence."

Lucas' chortle ceased as he stepped aside for Kim to enter her quarters upon the door's opening. Once inside, the door whirred closed, leaving them both in a rhythmic silence, the waters around them seeming to be the lullaby of their human existence aboard such a respected vessel.

Lieutenant Vernon finished her survey of the room when she quickly noticed one of the bunks filled with contents not belonging to herself. "Are you sure this is my room, Lucas?"

"Yes." Lucas smiled. "Unfortunately, about half of the crew quarters are being rewired with more advanced controls. So everyone is having to double up. Do you mind?" He winced softly.

"No," Lieutenant Vernon immediately spoke up to reassure her host. "Not at all. In fact, I may just enjoy the company."

"Great!" Lucas clapped his hands together again and turned to leave but stopped. "Oh, and if you need anything just let me know."

Kim tried her best to smile, truly thankful for the young man's helpfulness. "Will do. You've been a great help to me. I hope I can return the favor soon."

"You betcha." Lucas winked and was gone, leaving Kim wondering if he had actually been there or not due to his skilled levels of haste and speed.

With a shake of her head, Lieutenant Vernon chuckled softly and set her belongings on the cot that was set up against the wall opposite from the main steel-frame bunk. Glancing over at the structure, Kim felt a touch of jealousy suddenly breeze into her thoughts. Whomever she shared this room with was lucky. After such a long journey to get aboard the _seaQuest_ , Kim could not deny the slight aches that caused the proper bed to look extremely appealing to her. But it taken. And the cot would suffice. It was better than nothing.

Her thoughts were quickly diverted as the door whirred open once more, a uniformed stranger stepping inside before the door shut securely behind them. The stranger was somewhat shorter than Kim, the Lieutenant estimated quickly, watching as their eyes met for the first time.

"Well, hello. I'm sorry. You startled me."

"That's quite alright. I'm much too quiet and observant for my own good." Kim stood and extended her hand to who she assumed was her roommate. "Lieutenant Kim Vernon."

The other woman shook her hand quite briefly and formally, still smiling to ease any tension that might have tried to wedge its way between the two women. "Samantha Gage. Pleased to meet you, Lieutenant."

"You have no rank?" Kim Vernon questioned with forehead creased.

"No, I do not. Like you I am here on assignment."

"Who—who told you?!"

"Mr. Wolenczek, I'm afraid."

"I see," Kim chuckled. "He seems like a nice young man. Although his lack of civility and proper uniform raises questions for me."

"I know what you mean," Samantha sighed. "You should have been here when I arrived last week. I was rather hard on the young man. I demanded to speak to his superior officer when I found him in my room messing with the electronics. I still don't think Captain Bridger has forgiven me completely for my outburst. I do regret it. But still, it was a learning experience."

"What may I ask was he doing in your quarters?"

"He's a technical genius, Lieutenant. He was sent to fix a minor issue with the communications system. Had I known that at the time, I could have saved myself a great deal of grief."

"Then I thank you for forewarning me. I'd hate to get off on the wrong foot here. This seems like such a great place."

Sam crossed to her bunk and began gathering her belongings off of the mattress. "You're welcome, Lieutenant. It is. I was lucky to get this post. If you have any questions feel free to ask."

"Well," Kim cleared her throat, "Are any of the men single?"

After Sam had a good laugh over the lieutenant's slightly sarcastic question and Kim had insisted she was kidding more than once, Sam deposited her things by the cot that Lieutenant Vernon still stood next to.

"It's all yours," Sam insisted, waving a hand towards the now empty bed.

"Wait," Kim shook her head in confusion. "I don't understand. It's yours. Keep it."

"Nonsense!" Sam insisted, taking Kim's belongings from her arms and setting the few items on the mattress. "I insist. You are new here. The new kid deserves a good turn upon their arrival."

"Thank you." Kim offered the young woman a tight-lipped smile while rubbing at a rather sore spot in her neck. "I appreciate it. I really do."

"You're welcome. Now back to your question."

"My question?"

"The answer is yes. But I won't tell you whom. You will have to figure that out on your own. Besides, there are far more important things here than that."

Lieutenant Vernon nodded, quickly remembering and regretting having asked such a question. "Thanks. I agree."

The screen immediately notified the two ladies of an incoming call. With a brief flash, the screen brightened to reveal a stranger's face. At least he seemed like a stranger at first until he finally spoke.

"Sam?"

Kim cocked a crooked smile as she turned to face the visual of the man who matched the voice. "I'm sorry. My name is Lieutenant Vernon. Lieutenant Kim Vernon."

The man squinted as if trying to get a better look at woman looking back at him. "Indeed it is. Indeed it is." His broad smile instantly reminded Kim of his true identity. "You do know who I am. Don't you?"

Kim smiled, bowing her head low from the shame of having not remembered who he was. "Forgive me, Ben. It's been awhile. How are you?"

"I'm well. Getting used to being stationed on land." He wrinkled his forehead, a teasing look gleaming from his eyes. "And what are you doing in Sam Gage's quarters? I did call the right person, didn't I?"

Amused, Kim suppressed a chuckle at the same time as Sam dipped her head into view beside her so that Ben could see both of them.

"Ah." Ben chortled. "Now I understand. Roommates?"

"Unfortunately." Kim sighed and paced one step forward with her hands crossed at her chest. "I just arrived aboard the _seaQuest_. They are having to double up in the quarters because of a maintenance issue."

"I see." Silence fell between the three as the young blonde man darted his gaze from Kim to Sam and then back again.

The young lieutenant took one look at Sam's anxious expression and suddenly felt out of place. "Well, Ben. It's been good seeing you again. Please call again. I'd love to catch up."

"Will do."

Kim had gathered one or two items from her belongings and had raced from the small quarters before she really had a chance to think through exactly where she was going. As she shut the silver door behind herself, Kim planted her back against the wall as if she needed a moment to recover. What she had to recover from was something she looked inwardly to question herself. Had she been a bit more in tune with her emotions she may have avoided colliding with Sensor Chief Ortiz upon opening her eyes and started forward down the hall without giving the action proper thought beforehand. Gasping, the two fell to their knees, gathering the victimized debris from the hall while dodging passersby.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Ortiz." Every time she reached to take an item from the young man, she would drop it again, triggering and endless cycle that she was finally forced to end as she relaxed and set a hand to her forehead, sighing. "What am I kidding?!"

Meanwhile, Ortiz finished gathering the items and stood to his feet, trying his best to maintain his rank while glancing below at the lieutenant. She seemed helpless. As if another matter entirely was weighing upon the current ordeal. "Where would you like this, lieutenant?"

"I'll take them." Kim forced herself to her feet, gently taking the items from Ortiz with a crooked smile. "Thank you. And I'm sorry. I'm sure I've delayed you." She stepped aside for him to continue on his way.

Without hesitation, Ortiz took two steps forward before he paused, turning to face the young woman who still seemed somewhat out of sorts. "Are you sure I can't be of any help to you?"

"I'm sure." Kim nodded. But the statement was partially a lie. She knew it was. Even as she choked backed her nearly overflowing emotions.

As soon as Sensor Chief Ortiz had reluctantly continued on his way, Katheryn hurried to the next deck, traversing the spiraling staircase as if she were an expert having been aboard this great vessel for thirty days. Yet as she absentmindedly found herself exploring the unknowns of the ship, she suddenly began to feel the novice of her choice slowly reprise itself in her legs, reminding her that she had only been aboard for thirty minutes instead.

"Lieutenant Vernon and Sam Gage to the bridge," Captain Bridger's voice echoed above head, sounding against the silver walls and passageways.

Kim Vernon stopped and scanned her surroundings with a much-needed grin as she heard her name called. "Right away," she whispered happily beneath her breath, spinning on her heel and directing her step back to the staircase as quickly as her legs would take her. For despite the past having shown up in her present, she finally was beginning to feel like an authorized crew member of the _seaQuest_. Something she had only dreamed about up until now.

**Author's Note:**

> Upon discovering a familiar face from my primary series in another series, I felt like this story had to happen. I hope you all bear with me as I break into a new genre briefly with only limited knowledge of the seaQuest television series. I have really enjoyed the few episodes I have seen thus far and look forward to seeing where this story takes me in the future. And if you haven't yet figured out how or why this is a crossover, then stay tuned for more to come. God Bless!


End file.
